Best Laid Plans
by ShinyAnn
Summary: Behind every awesome plan is a fatal flaw, ticking like a time bomb. And one can always count on Harry to detonate Draco's happiness into a million miserable pieces. Warnings :- Treachery, lack of common sense, A Slytherin's inbred arrogance, A Gryffindor's foolish pride.
1. Chapter 1

"Draco. Could you please put that glass down and listen to me?" Blaise glared at his best friend. Said best friend gave a contrite smile, placed the vodka shot back on the table and stared at him with wide guileless eyes.

Blaise snorted.

"Stop giving me that look Draco." He said warningly.

"What look?" There it was again. Eyes widening, pupils dilated , eyebrows drawn up, pouty lips slightly parted - the epitome of innocent cuteness.

The kind of innocent cuteness that should look ridiculous on a twenty year old kid but looked endearing instead.

"Draco, listen. I'm your best friend . I care about you." Blaise tried again and watched, fascinated, as the cuteness morphed into something completely different, the lips curling up slightly, the eyes narrowing and the chin resting lightly in the V of his entwined hands.

"Why don't you get under the table and show me how much?" Draco suggested, voice dripping down to a low husky drawl. Blaise started.

He was used to this. He knew, better than anyone else, that Draco was an incorrigible flirt . He had no restrictions , no proverbial lines that needed crossing and he had absolutely no sense of shame.

"Stop being such a jerk. You know what I mean. " He said , but his voice lacked any harshness. He could never be harsh with Draco. No one could.

"No,but I hope it means you're finally giving in to my charms." Wicked silver eyes danced with mirth and Blaise sighed. He was beginning to wonder why he even tried . Clearly, Draco Lucius Malfoy was a lost cause. The most perverted, reckless and annoying creature in the entirety of England.

"You do know I have a boyfriend?" He rolled his eyes in disdain, deciding he was too sober to have this conversation. Signalling the waiter for a refill, he turned back to his errant friend. Draco was grinning .

"Boyfriend huh? Never stopped me before. Besides, the years have been _really _good to you and I'm only human." He laughed.

"I can't believe you're being an asshole when I'm trying to have a serious conversation." He finally snapped. Draco immediately quieted reaching out and capturing his hands in his.

"Fine, my love. Tell me whats bothering you." He gave him an open smile, curious and unsuspecting.

Blaise took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

"I think you need help."

Draco didn't react.

Not at once. He continued smiling, eyes guarded and face shaded. It was always hard to guess what was going through his head and today was a classic example. Blaise was beginning to wonder if he had even heard him.

"Help?" He finally asked but it wasn't actually a question. It was more along the lines of a sneer, a snide remark, dripping with contempt, as though the mere idea of him needing help was, let's say, ridiculous. Blaise gulped a bit, mildly disturbed by how bland Draco sounded.

And then the fingers curled around his hand slowly withdrew and Blaise knew he'd made a mistake.

"Draco, there's a really nice- "

"I have classes. I'll call you." He got up, gathering his note books and stuffing them into his backpack, his fingers reaching for his guitar-case. Blaise mentally cursed himself for making a muck out of the entire situation.

"Draco, please, just listen to me for a-"

The hand that he'd placed on Draco's shoulder was smacked away and the boy gave him a glare.

"I don't need your fucking help. I don't need anyone's help." He snarled and Blaise felt his heart break at the sight. Draco reminded him so much of a hurt and cornered animal, lashing out at anyone who tried to get close.

Before he could formulate his thought into words, though, Draco had already moved out of the cafe and Blaise was left watching his friend's back.

Just like old times.

* * *

Harry ran his tongue over his lips and grimaced. The late afternoon sun was scorching and sweat ran down his forehead as he tried to catch his breath. Steeling himself , he bent down picking up the littered paper cups and tossing them into the basket in his hand.

It was a hot Saturday afternoon and he was volunteering at the orphanage, helping out with the cleaning while the children took their afternoon nap. He was already exhausted and he had a hard time moving around the open ground, his body protesting every step of the way. He ran the back of his hand against his forehead and then sighed.

He had better find some shade before dying of a sunstroke. Placing the basket on the ground, he half ran and half staggered to the nearest tree , sinking against the hard bark with relief and pulling out a bottle of mineral water and taking swift gulps.

Harry was beginning to have doubts. Maybe the whole, _working your ass off on a weekend_ had been a rather large misjudgement on his part. It was rather unfair that all his friends, classmate and college acquaintances were at a pool party , fighting the heat and blaze with refreshing poolside drinks and skinny dipping.

In his house.

And here he was, heir to a fortune, smelling like week old dinner and looking like a homeless beggar. He sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. They were huge and round, more expensive than they looked and also completely unnecessary. He had perfect vision, now; it was just that he preferred looking at the world through them.

The other volunteers had all gone home, apologetically explaining that their good will did not extend to missing Saturday evening parties and weekend hobbies. He had smiled and waved , reassuring everyone that he was perfectly capable of handling all the chores by himself.

Another misjudgement.

Nevertheless he pushed himself off the tree and went back to cleaning the grounds. By the time he was done with all the little things that needed finishing it was past sunset. Finally finished, he ripped out the band holding up his long hair and sighed as the tightness in his scalp relaxed. The sun had stopped scorching and was soothing instead and he blinked at the dusky sky, groaning out loud when a light breeze went around his neck, the effect on his sweat slicked skin , refreshing.

he walked back to the small room that housed his bag and jumped when his phone rang. he looked at the name and groaned, steeling himself .

"Hello?" he asked tentatively.

"Do you have any idea how many hours I've spent trying to reach you? Where the fuck are you?" Draco Malfoy's furious voice filled his ears and resonated against his skull.

He flinched. The guy was in one of his moods.

"I had some work at the orph-"

"We have dinner with dad's associates in exactly thirty minutes. Wherever you are get yourself fixed, I'm picking you up in ten. Text me your location."

"Draco , I'm sorr-" Click. He'd hung up.

Oh, damn.

He'd completely forgotten about the dinner. He caught a glimpse of his face in the cracked mirror and grimaced. he looked like he'd crawled straight out of a dumpster. His t shirt was gray , old and sweaty while his shorts were frayed at the edges. he imagined walking into that five star hotel like that. Probably the same as walking in with a LMG and opening fire.

Desperate times, he thought impatiently grabbing his phone and texting furiously. he then picked up his bag, yelled his farewells and practically flew out of the orphanage, his flip slops making noisy squeaks against the cobblestone streets. he reached the main road, walking along in a rush and finally spotted a store.

"I need a tux." he muttered to the clerk and the woman gave him a rather disdainful look. The store wasn't particularly classy but Harry had always had a knack for picking out the best outfit from a pile. Soon he was paying for the tux and simultaneously asking for the rest room.

He washed his face quickly, mentally thanking whatever gene had ensured his flawless complexion. he'd barely finished drying his face when the phone rang.

"I'm waiting." Draco sounded less furious and more impatient. A definite improvement , but one that could be retracted at any second. Mumbling his apologies, he rushed out of the store . he looked around for a second, finally glimpsing the black Audi , sleek and shiny against the grey streets. People stared openly at the exotic car, no doubt wondering what a rich brat was doing there

he reached the car at a brisk trot and tried to ignore the look of shock on Draco's face.

"What exactly are you volunteering as, a garbage collector?" He hissed, pinching his nose against the tangy smell wafting from him. Harry blushed but glared defensively.

"I'm sorry I forgot." he crawled into the backseat, tossing the bag on the seat next to his . He hesitated before sighing.

"Draco.. could you.. uh... close your eyes?"

The blonde turned in his seat.

"What?"

He took in Harry's attire and the bag and then sighed before pulling up the black tinted windows and getting out of the car. Harry bit his lips a bit, his heart beating wildly and then shook his head to clear the fog. The guy was a gentleman , most of the time.

He dropped his phone and keys into the bag before untying his hair and quickly shrugging out of his T-shirt. He tried to pretend Draco wasn't there. But it was unnecessary . Despite the fact that he was one of the biggest perverts around, Draco didn't glance his way.

After he had tugged on the undershirt for his tux, Draco tapped on the window.

"This is the third dinner you've forgotten! Is this some sort of selective amnesia?." Draco sounded amused. He ignored him, pulling out a bottle of cologne and dousing himself with it. Much better.

He began unwrapping the pants and quickly shimmied out of his denim shorts. Draco had started fumbling with his phone and he wondered who he was texting. Yuri? Amber? Sica?

"Are you actually getting naked in my backseat? " He called out and he could hear the amusement in his voice.

"Naked? I'm wearing more clothes than all your little girlies , put together. " he retorted. The air conditioning in the car was brilliant and he was beginning to feel like a new person.

Draco didn't reply , keeping his eyes on the road as he quickly tugged on the periwinkle blue tag that hung on the sleeve.

He then tapped the window , signalling that he was done. Draco opened the door and got in, glancing briefly at him.

"You found that in there? You look great." Draco whistled, taking in the form fitting clothes with an appreciative glance. Harry fought the blush that threatened. It was infinitely better for his sanity , not to take his compliments to heart.

By the time they pulled into the exquisite hotel, he looked like a completely different person. his hair was pulled into a soft waves, one errant bang falling into green eyes .

He stepped out of the car and froze.

he was wearing flip flops. Cursing he dived back into the car. Draco growled, peering into the back seat with a glare.

"What the hell! Harry, I don't have time for games!"

"Shoes!" he whispered, mortified, "I don't have any shoes."

"What the-" He caught a glimpse of his legs and grinned. It was a typical Draco Malfoy grin, one that worked at making his heart race and his stomach plummet with a hundred percent success rate.

"You're such a dork. " He rolled his eyes at him and suddenly he was crawling into the back seat. The very cramped back seat which was already occupied by his body. Harry forgot to breathe and let his eyes widen as Draco pressed himself flat against Harry's body, his face inches from his chest and good God , he needed that perfume again because he was breaking out in a cold sweat.

"What are you doing?" he whispered, scandalized. His body finally came back to its senses and he crawled back, hitting his head against the window.

Draco looked at him like he was crazy.

"I was getting this." He pulled something out from behind his ears. Or rather, from the small compartment in the side.

A pair of shoes. And a bra.

His face flamed, bright red and he couldn't breathe. He turned away, hoping Draco wouldn't glimpse the foolish hurt on his face but Draco wasn't even looking at him. Instead he casually pulled the blood red bra off the shoes and tossed them back on the seat.

"Their Yuri's. She left them here after the party last night. She was too drunk to walk ." He snickered and Harry managed a fake smile as he pulled on the simple black dress shoes.

Once he got out of the car, he got his first real glimpse of Draco and his breath caught. He looked like he'd stepped right off a magazine editorial and he knew that anyone looking at them would think they made the perfect match.

Picture perfect.

Perfect for each other in every way but one.

The one where Draco was the world's biggest asshole .

* * *

Harry leaned back in his stool, unaware of how he'd managed to find his way to the bar in the lounge. The young people had converged at the classy establishment, colorful shots of alcohol held in their manicured fingers as they flitted about the place, exchanging air-kisses and fake bows.

It made him sick to his stomach.

He caught sight of Draco , a good fifteen feet away from him, dancing with an unknown female with mile long legs. Predictable. He watched them for a second, his senses unnaturally sharp as he watched the way his fingers rested just above the girl's waist, a hint of seduction with the promise of more to come. As he continued watching, Draco leaned over, close.. too close, bending low and whispering into the girl's ears. Harry watched the girl's eyes widen, her lips forming an 'o' of surprise before dissolving into a laugh,her ruby red lips pulling back to reveal perfect white teeth.

He turned away, something foreign yet altogethis familiar running through his veins. This wasn't the first time he'd seen Draco with another girl. He knew he liked women.

Everyone knew.

Draco Malfoy , all around nice guy. Excellent at playing guitar, sings like an angel , best in his class and heir to billions. Perfect hair, perfect face and a perfect personality. If someone was in trouble, the first person to offer help was Draco. The only guy who picked up calls, even from strangers, at three in the morning.

"More juice, pretty boy?" The bartender was leering at him, and he was much too annoyed to bother with brushing him off. Instead he gave him a wide grin.

"Actually, I'd like some alcohol."

Famous last words...

* * *

Harry Potter was high in the most illegal sense of the word. His pupils were shot, his hair was tousled on his head and he had an imbecilic grin on his face. His smile stretched obscenely across his lips and he was just a few shots away from dribbling down his chin.

Draco Malfoy groaned.

What a fucking embarrassment.

"Yah! Get a hold on yourself, you stupid asshole!" He reached out, fingers wrapping around Harry's upper arm, through the soft fabric of his shirt. This was why he tried to keep away from well bred Gryffindor heroes. The moment they went anywhere near something a little risky, they lost all sense and became blubbering idiots.

He had hoped Harry Potter would be different but clearly, that wasn't the case.

Harry swayed, his head crashing painfully into Draco's shoulders and he fought the urge to just push him off him and leave him to his fate.

Granger would skin him alive and roast him over the fireplace.

"Draco , you bastard...how could you do that... in front of everyone... you're such a jerk..."

Harry was slurring, clearly too far gone to even think straight. Draco wondered what he'd done in his previous life to be saddled with such an annoying...

"I hate you! Malfoy Draco.." he enunciated each syllable with difficulty but managed to get the message out nonetheless, which was a feat in itself. He tried not to roll his eyes.

"I'm not going to waste a good comeback on you because you're just too fucking drunk to appreciate it. So just shut that mouth of yours and let me get you home." He rolled his eyes , moving to kneel in front of the brunette. Of course he toppled right onto him.

"Aish!" He pushed the heaving body off him with difficulty, crawling away from the drunken wretch and rearranging his salon-styled hair. What on earth had he done to deserve this?

"Hey, you! Yes, you! Come here!" He called out to one of the patrons . The guy was too stunned at the sight of Draco on the floor , to protest . He came over meekly.

"Help me get him on." He snapped, kneeling once again. The man helped and with some difficulty, Harry was on his back, his arms hanging over his shoulders loosely. His fingers closed over the back of Harry's thighs as he hauled him closer and began the slow, painfully long trek to his car.

* * *

Harry came to himself in the car.

"God. My head. Stop the car I wanna puke."

A look of genuine panic crossed Draco's face and Harry felt some sort of sick satisfaction at that. It was always heartening to see the occasional chinks in the guy's armor.

Draco pulled the car over and he practically crawled out of it, dry heaving on the small patch of grass by the road, afraid his brains were gonna come out of his ears.

When he was finished, he dragged himself back to the car and collapsed on the seat, boneless and nauseous.

Draco reached over, putting his seat belt on for him.

"God, you reek! The next time you wanna get sloshed you should just call one of your brainless hackneys. God, I can't believe I'm dragging you home again." He sounded genuinely pissed and Harry decided against retorting. He had a point.

It was his fault that he had over-drunk.

But it was _Draco's _fault that he'd started to drink.

"Well,you could have just left me there!" he finally exploded, unable to take the righteous mumbling that he was being forced to hear.

"Left you there?! On the floor? Do you even use that empty head of yours?! Honestly, I should have just brought Yuri along! I don't even know why I let my father talk me into such things! "

"Why? So that you could sleep with her? You're such a pervert " he snorted.

"Make sure your door is locked . There's something wrong with the central locking."

"You think I can't close a door? I'm smarter than you!" his mind was screaming at him to shut up , that he sounded like an imbecile, but his mouth had a mind of its own.

"Just check the door, Harry.." Draco sighed, sounding tired.

For some reason, the soft tone triggered his anger and he sniffled.

"The door's fine." he said defiantly, not wanting to give in.

Draco adjusted the rear view mirror and Harry fiddled with the hem of his shirt, tracing the edge with his forefinger. He would've stayed quiet but the steady thrum of the air conditioner got on his nerves.

"How many times did you sleep with Yuri?" he demanded.

Draco ignored him, looking over his shoulder before joining the meager traffic on the road. They still had half an hours journey ahead and Draco grudgingly opened the window near Harry.

Harry relaxed against the door and his limbs loosened, every muscles unwinding as he went limp , cradled between the solid, hard door and the soft seat.

It happened so fast that neither of them could actually react.

One minute, he was leaning against the solid door and the next second it was thin air, the cold wind rushing into the car with a vengeance. Draco saw the door opening, a few seconds before it fully swung out, his finger turning the steering by instinct. The sudden turn worked out and Harry fell back against the gear stick and Draco instinctively curled an arm around his shoulder, trying to keep him from swaying back to the open doorway.

The car careened off the median, heading straight for the hedgerow on the side of the road. Draco swerved the wheel sharply, wincing as the car drifted a bit before coming to a stand still.

_Shit. _

"I told you to fucking close the-"

But Harry was already out of the car, gasping and stepped out of his seat, walking over to help Harry out of his coat while the brunette continued retching. Shit, how much had he drunk? Draco wondered, concerned. Once he was done, he helped him back to his feet, wincing at the dead weight on his shoulders. It was an old war injury and he usually tried to keep any excess pressure off the damaged muscles but thanks to Potter he'd exhausted a months worth of exertion in less than a few hours.

Opening the back door, he gently lowered the boy to the plush leather seats, frowning when he felt how heated his skin was.

The sound of a siren made Draco groan and his head dropped into the side of the car, shoulders aching from the sharp turn he'd had to make. The patrol car went past their sedan, stopping a few meters ahead. A very familiar silhouette stepped out of the vehicle and Draco groaned again.

This night was progressing from bad to worse.

"Well, well, who we have here."

Draco tried not to sneer too much as he smirked back at the dirty blonde in front of him, currently tapping the hood of his very expensive car. Swallowing the urge to knock his hands off, Draco smiled instead.

"Always a pleasure to meet an old friend , Nott. "He said pleasantly, infinitely glad he hadn't had a drink.

"Uh huh. So what exactly made you drive drunk on a fine night like this? Still mourning your dead wife?" Nott sneered and Draco clenched his fists, trying not to rise to the bait.

"The only occasion that involved my wife's death and alcohol was when she died. Remember? You told me she was dead and i ordered my butler to break open the champagne ?"

Nott chuckled good naturedly.

"She was a bit of a whore wasn't she?"

Draco smiled blankly , the look in his eyes turning slightly dangerous. The uniform on Nott's back was the only thing that stopped him from reaching out and choking the life out of the bastard.

"Speaking of whores, who's that in the back seat?" Nott continued , taking a few steps forward and pushing Draco away from the door. Harry was struggling to sit up, his limbs tired and his face exhausted.

Nott gave a small whistle.

"Scored big tonight, huh Malfoy?"

"Shut the fuck up, Nott." Draco warned, eyes narrowing.

He ignored him,moving instead to the open door, fingers curling around Harry's elbow, yanking him to his feet.

"Good evening, Mr. Potter." He leered, lips disgustingly close to Harry's porcelain white skin and Draco stepped forward on reflex, yanking the brunette away from Nott and pushing himself in between them.

"He's sick. Anything you need to know, you can talk to me." He gritted out.

"Ah, as protective as ever. You know, it always amused me that you try so hard to be a gentleman, irrespective of how much of a slut, " he moved around, fingers fluttering across Harry's thighs and squeezing lewdly, " you're partner is."

He laughed, reaching out and yanking Harry sharply by his arms.

Draco saw red , fists flying and knees raising up and out before he could stop himself. The kick was pretty strong, enough to send Nott flying a couple of feet ,crashing to the rough road in an ungainly heap.

"Fucker!" The man snarled and Draco grimaced, knowing what was coming.

"Under arrest for assaulting a police officer."

He let himself be secured and loaded in the car , right after giving Blaise the call to come pick Harry up.

His father was going to kill him.

Stupid Bloody Potter.

* * *

**A/N:- I wrote this ages back. It's a multichaptered thingy and I'll update everyday. Fluffy me know what you thinK! **

**Reviews are love! **


	2. Chapter 2

"I assume there's some sort of an explanation for this?" Lucius Malfoy stared murderously at his son, fingers tapping ominously on a sheet of paper , spread flat on his table. Draco tried not to flinch at his father's tone. He was clearly furious, a side of him that Draco preferred avoiding at all costs.

"Not a very good one, I'm afraid." He grimaced a bit.

A loud sigh greeted his answer.

"Draco, I've been unnaturally patient with you. If you know what's good for you, you will cease testing me." He growled out, palms coming down on the oak table with a thunderous sound.

"Where is that good for nothing bastard you were with?" Lucius snapped , eyes narrowing dangerously. Draco flinched.

"Blaise wasn't with me." He admitted feebly. His father would murder him if he knew he had been hanging out with Harry.

Lucius frowned.

"Are you telling me you were there by yourself? That you hit Theodore for your own amusement?" He sneered, disbelief written all over his pointed features.

"Father, you know better than anyone else that the bastard deserves it." Draco snapped, losing patience.

Lucius ran a palm over his face.

"After all these years, have I taught you nothing? If I were to knock out every man who annoyed me or deserved to get hit,do you think I'd be surviving here now? And what about the company? I'm not going to live forever, you useless moron! I want you to takeover my businesses when I die and how are the investors going to feel when their only memory is of you in prison?! What have you got in the world but your reputation, your pride and your dignity?! All the money in the world can't replace a lost reputation!"

Draco cringed in despair. He knew where this was going.

"We need to take care of this. You're getting engaged. " Lucius continued, fingers already reaching for his phone. Draco felt his heart plummet to the pit of his stomach.

"What-no! Dad, please-"

"Shut up. You knew it would happen. again. I need a heir. And you need responsibility."

"Dad , wait..."

But it was too late. Lucius shooed him out of the office and Draco could feel disaster looming around the corner.

* * *

Harry dragged himself to office with a pounding headache. He worked freelance most of the time , as a management consultant and public relations officer but Blaise's company was his favorite. The one he co-owned with Draco Malfoy of course. If it weren't for the company, Harry and Draco wouldn't have had a chance to meet , let alone build a close friendship. A friendship that sometimes bordered on something more on Harry's side.

Though he wasn't officially on the roll, Harry had a cabin all to himself, facing a part of the lawn. He ordered his secretary to open all the windows, loosened his tie and flopped on the couch, groaning.

Blaise came in a moment later. He took one look at Harry and snorted.

"Still not okay, I see?" He chirped , far too cheerful for the morning. Harry groaned a bit more and nodded bleakly.

"I'm never drinking again." He mumbled miserably, turning over to bury his face in the downy couch pillows.

"So you say. Just a small note of warning, you should probably stay out of Draco's way today. He's in a bit of a mood. "

Harry peered over the edge of the armrest. Blaise was lounging against his desk, fingers kneading a small paper-weight.

Harry groaned miserably. He had no intention of making things tough for Draco. And yet, invariably, that's exactly what he ended up doing. Mumbling a bit more, he rolled over , almost falling out of the couch when the door to his cabin flew open, hitting the wall with a resounding crash. Draco Malfoy stood framed in the doorway, all 183 cms of him shaking in cold fury.

"You! Do you have any idea what you just did?!" He growled out, stalking over to the couch and poking Harry's chest. The brunette yelped in shock, sitting up quickly.

"Draco , I'm sorry, I-"

"Why is it that you're always sorry? All the bloody time? You miss important meetings, get drunk on a working day, hold your alcohol like a five year old and you land me in jail. Why? Why can't you just bloody listen to me for once?" His voice was low and tired. Defeated, almost. Harry flinched guiltily.

"I honestly didn't mean to-"

"My father just gave me an ultimatum, thanks to you." He groaned, walking to the nearest armchair and flopping down, limbs loose and boneless. Blaise reached out, palms resting on his shoulder.

"Marriage?" He asked quietly. Draco groaned again, misery coating his tone. Harry sat up in shock.

"What?! Again?" He rasped out.

"To be honest, my expectations are significantly lowered." Draco muttered, shaking his head in disdain.

"I really am sorry." Harry said softly. Draco smiled bleakly.

"I know, don't worry about it. It isn't entirely your fault anyway. I should've just held myself together. It's just that Nott is such a bloody annoying bastard and he was -" Draco stopped, shaking his head and reaching out for the glass of water on the table.

" So are you going to agree to this?" Blaise asked curiously, fingers now kneading the back of Draco's neck. Draco leaned into the touch and shook his head.

"i've had enough with trophy wives. I don't need another. Hell sometimes I wonder if I've had enough with women in general." He shook his head, annoyed. Blaise laughed, ruffling his hair fondly.

"Always knew you swung both ways. Remember Brian?" He teased while Harry laughed.

"Oh come on, that was just once." Draco muttered flushing as he remembered the very awkward relationship with Blaise's older cousin. It hadn't helped that the guy looked like Blaise who had been Draco's first crush of sorts.

"Anyway, who's the girl?" Harry asked, curious. He couldn't think of anyone in their own posse , deserving of Draco, but that was just him.

Draco shrugged , shaking his head.

"I have no clue. Dad said he'll call me when I need to meet up with her. Getting out of this is going to be pretty hard. Any ideas?"

Blaise laughed.

"You came here to ask our help with fooling your father? Do you not want us to live?" He rolled his eyes. Harry had to agree. Lucius Malfoy was the scariest entity in their life, one that he always made a conscious effort to avoid. Thankfully, the feeling was mutual, because as far as Lucius was concerned, the only things that stopped his son from being a successful and ideal citizen went by the names of Harry and Blaise.

"I'm not an idiot. The last time I listened to you people, I ended up with Crabbe's name tattooed on my waist." Draco pointed out, wrinkling his nose in disdain. Both Blaise and Harry howled in amusement, remembering their first stint with alcohol, when they'd dragged a reluctant Draco along.

"So, what exactly are you thinking?"

Draco leaned back on the chair, smiling pleasantly.

"I'm going to make her so miserable, she'll refuse to marry me. "

* * *

Astoria leaned back against the seat, wincing when the turbulence in the plane made her stomach swim. Next to her, Damien was sleeping like the dead, his head lolling onto her shoulders. Throwing her brother a fond glance, she sat up straighter, nausea hitting her a bit to harshly. Groaning, she hung her head down, flushing as the blood reentered the veins in her head. She hated planes and the ten hour flight to London was enough to give anyone a headache.

Next to her, Damien stirred lightly, mumbling something in his sleep. He blinked a bit, eyes finally fluttering open after a few seconds. He turned around, face finally relaxing into a smile once he spotted her.

"Are we there yet, Tory?" He yawned, fingers fluttering over his mouth as he stretched , sitting up straighter in his seat. Astoria smiled and shook her head.

"Ten more minutes in this box of death." She grimaced. Damien laughed , reaching out and yanking on a lock of her burgundy hair. They had matching deep red hair and matching dimpled smiles. While Damien was significantly taller, Astoria was tall for her sex, lithe and waif like. She had deep brown eyes, soulful yet sharp while Damien's leaned more towards a greenish hazel.

Nevertheless they made a handsome pair, siblings just by glance . But their personalities were nothing alike. While Damien had an open honest smile, seldom hiding his thoughts, Astoria was unnaturally defensive and guarded, seldom letting anyone close. Damien sometimes wondered where the playful older sis he'd once worshiped, had disappeared to. After their parents death she'd changed, her bright and natural grin replaced by small smiles, her honest eyes shaded with some sort of a curtain . Something that effectively hid her inner thoughts.

Damien sighed and leaned back.

"Are you alright with this, sis?" he said nervously, unsure what to say.

Astoria laughed at the nervousness in her brother' voice. This was something she had to do, for multiple reasons. Besides, she'd had enough of hiding.

"You'll love England , Damien. I know it's been ages since you've been here but I think it's the perfect place for you to relax, at least for a while."

Damien was filthy rich in his own right, working as an antique jewel designer as well as collector. Coupled with Astoria's work as a director , they were pretty well off. So it wasn't really a surprise that Lucius Malfoy had wanted her to meet with his son.

What surprised him was the fact that his sister had agreed. Astoria loved men , having had countless relationships , or so the press reported. Damien himself had no idea how true that was, her personal life was personal and not even her brother was privy to it.

The seat belt sign came on, indicating that they were about to land.

Astoria peered out of the window, watching the lush fields rolling down below.

She was looking forward to meeting Draco.

But mostly, she was looking forward to meet him.

* * *

" What did I do to deserve this?" Draco rolled his eyes, holding the board up higher, even as he watched the people milling in from the gateway. He couldn't catch a glimpse of the girl he was supposed to me picking up, or her brother. A pair glanced curiously at his board but when he began smiling, they turned around and walked away. Cursing, he shifted his weight from one foot to another, pushing the board into his sides, arms aching.

"This is stupid." He muttered, turning around to look behind, only to be assaulted by a handful of something or rather someone.

"Oh, shit. I'm sorry." It was a boy, barely any older than him, apologizing profusely as he straightened from where he'd tripped onto him.  
The phrase , _what a hottie_ , ran through his head for a split second before his eyes shifted to the girl next to him . Astoria Greengrass.

He smirked a bit, knowing how annoying that usually was to his acquaintances.

"You're Astoria?" He asked , purposely rude.

" Last time I checked. " The brunette was smiling wide, eyes bright and fresh.

The clumsy idiot gave a slightly strangled sound next to him. Draco graced him with a glare.

"And you are?"

Astoria stepped forward, fingers wrapping around the boy's arm.

"My brother Damien. Damien this is Draco Malfoy if I'm not mistaken." She smiled guardedly, eyes flicking to Draco who smirked wider, nodding absently.

"You're very handsome." Damien said with something close to awe on his face, eyes trained on his face.

"My car is this way." He said shortly, stalking away without another word.

* * *

"Thank you, that's very nice of you to say." Draco simpered in a nasally tone , shooting Harry a look of disgust. The brunette turned red in anger , wishing he'd just opted to go home instead of accompanying the blonde back home. They'd run into Zacharias smith on their way back and the boy had not so subtly hit on Harry, something that had clearly annoyed Draco.

"When did I speak through my nose?" Harry glared, pushing angrily at Malfoy's shoulders.

"Look at that! You're always knocking me around or glaring at me. Why on earth did you act like a hormonal teenage girl in front of that guy?"

Harry rolled his eyes . Draco was such a git, it frequently outbalanced his attractiveness.

"Anyway, I'll thank you not to flirt around when I'm discussing important life issues with you . I'm trying to get out of this whole engagement thing in case you forgot." He continued , eyes narrowing in Harry's direction.

Harry sighed in defeat. There was no reasoning with the devil.

"fine, Draco. I won't talk to him again, are you happy? " He smiled softly, fingers tapping lightly on the back of Draco's wrist. The blonde frowned and pulled away but his eyes crinkled and the corner of his lips twitched. Draco was a sucker for soft touches , especially when they came from people he genuinely cared for.

"Anyway, my dad wants me to bring her to dinner tonight." Draco flinched. Harry frowned at that.

"She's barely gotten here. Where's she staying?"

"At one of her family resorts. I was hoping to meet her before that, at the art exhibition ." He grinned. Harry groaned at that.

"Are you serious, that's a bit too-"

"Annoying, I know. Anyway, here's what I want you to do..."

* * *

"I can't believe you agreed to this!" Blaise glared petulantly, brushing back ebony locks and adjusting his necktie. It was hot and stuffy and the tuxedo Harry had forced him into wasn't helping at all.

Harry had to agree. The idea was flawed and juvenile, typical Draco Malfoy fare, but the thought of putting up with a grumpy Draco was infinitely more terrifying.

"He's our friend. We're obliged to put up with him. " Harry said stiffly, pushing Blaise's clumsy fingers away and adjusting his shirt.

"But this is just a bit too dumb."

Harry ignored him, eyes flickering to the clock on the wall. They had less than ten minutes to leave, if they were to meet the couple at the art exhibit. Draco had asked them to lay low and wait for his signal, before putting their immature and highly imbecilic plan into action. Blaise continued mumbling all the way to the car and Harry fought the urge to stuff the end of his tie into the boy's mouth.

The late evening traffic wasn't too terrible and Harry lowered his window, while Blaise mumbled about the draught messing up his air do. They found a place to park, spotting Draco's car a few places away.

" the git's already there? So, what do we do now?" Blaise muttered, once the valet had taken the car away and the pair of them stood at the entrance of the hall. Harry pointed at the open bar.

"We can't run into them before he's ready. Let's wait there."

After ordering their dry martinis, Blaise gave Harry a baleful stare.

"What was the plan again?"

"Simple. We wait for Draco's signal , whereupon I walk up to him and accuse him of wrecking my life. Once the girl steps up, possibly to diffuse the situation, you walk in. You remember your lines right?"

"'Is it not enough that you cheated on him and made your father fire him? Must you ruin this lovely girl's life as well?' " Blaise muttered lifelessly, stirring his drink with a bored look. Harry frowned at the boy but picked out his phone, waiting for the signal.

* * *

"You must like Van Gogh." Astoria said softly, eyelashes lowered, hands resting delicately, the works. She was glancing at the nearest painting, no doubt pretending to enjoy the outing.

Draco tried not to roll his eyes.

"Anyway, this must be the first time I've met a prospective husband in an art exhibit." she laughed delicately, low and tinkling.

"It saves me time." Draco said shortly, glancing disdainfully at her. Astoria blinked a bit , confused.

"Save time?"

"the way you walk shows me what kind of a girl you are, Your interest in art shows how refined you are , whether you belong in an art museum or a club and the smell of your perfume," he leaned in closer , chuckling inwardly when she instinctively moved back, " lets me know whether your charm is subtle or gaudy."

Astoria blinked in shock, trying to gather her senses , but the arrogant bastard was already moving away.

"Let's get something to drink," he said, fumbling with his cell phone, " Oh and by the way, the Van Gogh exhibition is next month. These are works by Eduard Monet."

* * *

Harry walked confidently up to the pair sitting a few paces apart from each other. From a distance they looked picture perfect and he wondered if Draco had changed his mind after seeing how pretty Astoria looked in the wine red dress.

When Draco spotted him, however, he looked stunned and downright tetchy, something that Astoria would be blind not to notice.

"you stinking son of a bitch." Harry said casually, ignoring the wide eyed stare Draco's date was gracing him with.

"Harry... what are you doing here?" Draco blurted, panic written all over his face. What an Oscar worthy performance. Harry was impressed.

"What, were you hoping I killed myself, after everything you did?" Harry hissed, leaning down to rest his palms flat on their table. Astoria looked downright uncomfortable, eyes darting nervously between them.

"Harry can we do this someplace-?"

"Hah! That's rich! You don't mind fucking in public but talking is a big no-no?" Harry sneered , mentally thanking the heavens he didn't blush saying that. It was so unlike him to swear, let alone in front of a lady. Draco's lips twitched but then his eyes narrowed.

"Alright, that's enough. You're making my date uncomfortable and-"

"Date?" Harry scoffed turning to Astoria who looked taken aback, " Did he tell you about his apartment? The condo in London? Or have you already been there? I bet he promised to take you skiing during the holidays to that resort his family owns. If you know what's good for you, you better leave him alone. He's going to cheat on you with someone else and then tell you it's because you aren't putting out enough! "

Astoria looked downright terrified now and she swallowed.

"I'm sorry sir, I really don't see why you-"

Harry glanced around, spotting Blaise who was stalking over to them. However, a few feet away from them, he stopped. His eyes widened comically, gaze resting entirely on Astoria.

"Oh my ..."

He turned on his heel walking away without another word and Harry panicked. He turned to Draco who was staring slack jawed at the leaving boy.

"Uh..." They stood there awkwardly, even as Harry tried to regain his senses.

"I can't believe how ill mannered you are! no wonder Draco dumped you." Astoria hissed, seemingly unconcerned about her prospective fiance dating a guy.

Harry stared in shock. He hadn't expected that.

"That's not... He's not ill mannered." Draco blurted, now looking like he wanted to bury himself alive.

Harry frowned. What exactly was Draco doing?

"He's the best thing that's ever happened to me!" The blonde blurted out. Both Harry and Astoria stared at him, slack jawed.

"I want to make it up to you.. my love." Draco was staring at him, soulfully. Harry could feel blood rushing to his head in despair.

_No, no no, no..._

"What on earth-?" Astoria looked offended, glaring at Draco .

"I've never really stopped being in love with him." He pointed bleakly at Harry , who for want of anything better to do, turned around and fled.

**A/N:- Oh, God. This is terrible. It was actually a dare from my friend "Write cliche fake relationship fic " and I must warn you its pure nonsense. Its based, a bit on a k-drama called 'Secret Garden ' but only vaguely. **


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